Never Forget
by JJBluebell
Summary: It all started with a case gone wrong decades before Bo and the others. It was meant to be simple but is anything ever simple? Dyson found something he never wanted, a girl, a girl so broken and wonderful she managed to burrow deep into his heart. He never forgot her, she taught him to care again and he taught her she was more than a monster. DysonxOC, KenzixOC-Eventual Freiendship
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, so a friend gave me the idea to put an intro in as a sneak peak before the backstory… hope you don't mind and enjoy. **

**JJ X x**

It had been just another day… not important, not even a blip on Dyson's radar, but still it was a day that changed everything.

Dyson was chasing a low level drug dealer when it happened, a scent… an impossible scent. Stopping in his tracks the shifter looked around, but found nothing, like dust in the wind the scent had vanished, so with a shake of his head, clearing the creeping cobwebs before once again capturing a criminal.

Still it stayed with him, the memory of that scent, unforgettably unusual, sickly sweet…cotton candy and battery acid. He supposed it was just one of those days, one where his ghosts follow him around and remind him of his failings…

The sun had set and with it the business day done, so with a chilled beer in hand Dyson sat at the Dal watching as Trick frantically searched his books, Hale on his phone anxious and almost screaming at his contact, Bo had taken off to beat answers out of the latest lead while Lauran was combing the Light Fae for any clues and Vex the Dark.

A hand fell over the shifters tired face, reading through the pile of suspects, names of people Kenzi and Bo had crossed and honestly he was running out of people to threaten.

Kenzi had been missing for six days, fourteen hours and eighteen minutes… the clubhouse trashed and a note that read plainly '_you take from us, we take from you_'

Bo had barely slept since that night, none of them had really, because yes Kenzi was annoying and fragile, but she was so much more than that, she was smart, funny and unquestionably loyal, she wasn't just Bo's human, she was their Kenzi.

So when Trick races around the bar all eyes turn to find the missing girl, she was dirty and Dyson could smell blood, but as the three men flew towards her Kenzi smiled brightly "what's a girl got to do to get a drink around here?"

The two other men laugh with sheer glee that she's ok, as ok as someone who's been missing for nearly a week could be, but Dyson stood dead, not even sure his heart is beating or if breathing is appropriate because Kenzi isn't stood hand in hand with other girl, broken and bloody and it breaks Dyson's heart at the image, it isn't possible…

But those red speckled diamond blue orbs look up at him with sheer confusion and everyone's looking at him, only then does he realize he's zipped across the short space and crushed the small girl to his chest "you're here… this, this isn't real…I don't understand, but it's you, it's really you!"

If she was human he'd have done some serious damage with the strength of his embrace, but gently a doll like hand pushes at Dyson's chest, looking him straight in the eye and asking "Do I know you?"

**Please Review :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all, so I've only recently got into Lost Girl and I'm loving Dyson so hard and this idea has been bugging at me for days, I'm not sure if it's actually any good but if you think it's worth continuing let me know also I've done a little editing on this, hope you don't mind.**

**Thanks all **

**JJ X x **

_5th June 1972_

It was meant to be simple, he was only supposed to get close to the group and figure out where Fae had been disappearing to, inform the Ash then come up with a contingency plan. For several months Fae, both Light and Dark, had been vanishing from the area without so much as a word, the only thing that had seemed to link them was an old warehouse that a pack of wolf-shifters had recently come to call home, also using it as a neutral nightclub for the Fae community, Fae came in, but only most came out.

Toby, a skinny weasel faces shifter had brought him to the warehouse after a few weeks of Dyson gaining his trust. Caiden, the leader, had eyed the other man with suspicion the moment Toby had cheerily introduced him, expecting some sort of reward or gratitude, and Dyson saw that Caiden didn't trust with ease. To the rest of the people dancing and drinking amongst the cheap colored lights Caiden would appear in his late twenties, dark hair slicked black with a strong jaw and devious smirk, but Dyson saw the somber timeworn eyes of the shifter, maybe even as old as his own, as well as the four pronged long jagged scar that distorted the left of his neck and most of his arm that he seemed to wear with a reserved pride.

On their first meeting Caiden had made it known he was not happy with Toby, he made this known by having the poor lad hung by his feet and sliding a small silver needle straight though his neck. Before turning to Dyson and smiling "He'll survive, just."

In the weeks that passed Dyson had become a regular visitor to the club, but he's also seen one thing that was very out of place, a large steel door with a marking he hadn't seen in millennia's, one that would one day soon come to brand the flesh of his shoulder as a sorrowful tribute, it was of the old world, meaning 'teeth of a dog' that warned travelers of a vicious dog beyond that point. Dyson could smell blood and lots of it from behind the large door, to which Caiden held the only key, and knew the mystery to this case lay there.

The night Caiden had finally opened the door to him Dyson should have been wearier, more cautious, but his confident arrogance all this was overshadowed. After all it was meant to be easy…right?

When it opened Dyson frowned hard at the large silver lined cage stood in the center of the room, the plastic lawn chairs around it, a makeshift arena, he understood, it all made sense in that moment "Death fights."

Caiden laughs as he guides Dyson further into the room, the fresh blood drying amongst the flaked crimson flooding his sensitive nose, but what makes his eyes widen tenfold is the beast circling the cage, it's chocolate fur glossy against the sharp bones of its ribs and joints, paw's with long black talons and a large row of razor sharp teeth stained with blood all across it's snout, but it's the eyes that make his breath stop, all around red but for the black abyss of its pupils "A Wendigo?"

Caiden looking at the creature with an eerie tenderness "Beautiful isn't she, do you want a closer look?"

Dyson doesn't have time to disagree before the cage door is opened wide and Caiden strolls in, Dyson watching in awe as the beast submits, never in all his years had he seen such a thing from a Wendigo, a cousin of his own race, territorial, proud and feral "come Dyson, you wanted to know our little secret right?"

The shifter immediately felt the shift in atmosphere, felt it become tense and hard. Backing away slightly he is suddenly without warning trapped as two large pair of arms grab him, quickly he throws one man over his shoulder, feeling his wolf rising to the surface. He struggled but for a moment before the Wendigo leaped into action and buried her fangs into his leg, grazing the bone and ripping a monstrous scream of pain from Dyson before he kicked the beast away, turning on his good heel only to be met with the harsh slam of the cage door and Caiden smirking darkly as another brings him a wooden box "I knew there was something about you, something not right… detective. So I had you followed, blue really is your color."

A growl escaped the caged shifter as the others look to him with betrayal on their face, he had shared drinks with these people, laughs and spent the last few months making nice with them, gaining their trusts, but Caiden was clever and ruthless and Dyson should have known better "Let me out, now."

"Not likely to happen, sorry. Poor Toby, he never stood a chance. Far too weak…" the leader of the pack laughs and pulls up the young shifters head by the roots from the box, fossilized with a look of utter agony, before looking beyond Dyson and with a grave expression gives a swift nod.

The blonde shifter barely has time to swerve the attack from the Wendigo, he growled low in his throat as she ripped into the tender flesh of his arm and only manages to partly shift due to the pain and blood loss before throwing her into the cage wall with a whimper and the scent of her blood hits him, however she's fast, because the moment he looks back from the bloody mess of his gouged leg she's there, snarling growl on her lips that he returns, breath mixed with the closeness, both ready to attack when the unthinkable happens, hungry red eyes lose their fury and gleam with a haunted shine. She whimpers almost helpless before bowing her head and backing away, leaving Dyson very confused.

"What the hell are you doing? Kill him!" Caiden's voice travels over the rest of the infuriated crowd.

Her head whips around to roar at the scarred man, a voice both high and rasping "…you swore!"

A faint mirror of horror washed over Caiden's face before he snarls to one of his men on the other side of the cage, Dyson feels it before he sees it, the long syringe snaking through the bars. The last thoughts to run through his mind is of how arrogant he had been to think it would be that easy and wondering of the mercy he had been miraculously shown.

However as he lays lifeless and bleeding on the cold floor where many had lost their lives the long talons of the wendigo finger the leather strapped pendent around his neck, a symbol she had almost forgotten and as she nuzzles into his neck, taking in his scent, the cage opens and shifter's come to take the injured outsider from her. Caiden looks down into the creature's eyes with more than a drop of annoyance "this makes us even…"

By the time Dyson woke up the sun was rising, not that you could see it in the windowless room, a room he had never before laid eyes on, he could smell the dust and dirt of old concrete but the thick grey walls were hidden from him by an array of colored sheets and fairy lights, he notices the large messy stack of toys, games and books, a small mattress in the far corner with layers of pillows and blankets. It was as though he had stepped into a child's hideaway. He felt it then, the numbness, drugs no doubt, and found the careful bindings of his wounds, a blanket tucked around him with utmost care as a small voice comes from nowhere "I'm sorry."

In his dazed state he can't quite pin it until the figure steps barefoot into the dim light, she's just a girl, early twenties but in that long white fluffy robe and clutching a moth eaten bunny to her she looks much younger. She's pale, like her skin has never met the sun, with ridiculously long ringlets of chocolate falling down her back, she's small, so small and it doesn't dawn on him how small until Dyson's across the room gripping her shoulders in a vice like grip and snarling "where am I?"

"My room" she shrugs like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

He looks at her, really looks at her and watches as red flakes sparkle in her bright blue eyes, so innocent, his grip loosens "and where is your room exactly?"

A small smile spreads onto her to young face followed by another shrug "I don't know; I just go wherever Caiden takes me."

Realization dawns on him as Dyson smells the familiar scent of blood, seeping onto her robe with the force he'd used to grab her, he remembered injuring the Wendigo with the same wound "you? You're the Wendigo? …You're just a child."

"Well of course silly and I'll have you know I'm at almost nine hundred…I think." She laughs with a pondering smile and heads over to the long mirror to rebadge her bleeding arm with a light hum, not even seeming to notice the pain.

As her sleeve drops he sees the mass of peach lined scars ripping up her back and arm, he watches her for a long moment before asking "why didn't you kill me?"

She freezes, their gaze meeting in the mirror as she finishes her work and loses her childlike finesse, seemingly insulted by the question "I don't just go around murdering people you know. I'm not a monster… and I said sorry."

"Never said you were" Dyson says with a cold tone, trying to drink in the woman before him.

Swallowing hard she looks away and breaks the thudding silence "don't look so worried. They won't hurt you, but Caiden has things to do, then when we're gone we'll let you go. I Promise."

To say he was mystified by that lick of knowledge would be an understatement. So taking a step forward Dyson narrows his gaze to the small girl as she changes her robe behind one of the many fabrics hanging over the walls "now why would they do that? Hell, Caiden beheaded on of his own just for bringing me in and you expect me to believe he's just going to let me walk away."

She comes out in a little blue night-dress, not as frilly or childish as the white robe, but still not quite something a young woman would wear, not in this century anyway. She skips up to him "Caiden's a meany, but he keeps his promises."

Dyson sees her look to pendent he had worn for so long with such honor "and what promise is it that's keeping me alive?"

She giggles again, biting her nails as a finger comes to press the tip of his nose lightly "nosy puppy…"

Suddenly he's grabbed her hand and sees the spark of fear in her eyes before he throws her wrist away and speaks coldly "I'm not your damn puppy."

With a tilt of her head she smiles, look him in the eye "right, they call you Dyson? Mari, I'm Mari. Do like music? Caiden just got me this brand new singer box."

"You mean stereo." He raises a brow to her, he can see this girl, Mari, is obviously cracked but he won't be won't be caught off guard again, let alone allow himself care for this fractured creature… that's what he told, no, swore to himself.

He was wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

As Dyson's bloodshot blue orbs flutter open from a slumber he'd spent nearly twelve hours fighting it takes him a moment to remember where he is and that no, he didn't fall asleep in some giant blanket fort, it all rushes back but he sure as hell doesn't remember going to sleep with a few extra layers of comforters though.

"Morning sleepy head" a cheery voice echo's from across the room and sat there is Mari, in a navy high wasted pinafore skirt over a red turtle neck with cotton knee high red socks and shoeless feet. Dyson doesn't think he's ever seen a killer look so harmless.

"What time is it?" he asks in a gruff morning voice, a careful eye on the brunette as she sits cross legged on the floor with a dog-eared book in hand "Not sure, two-ish maybe. How did you sleep?"

"I've had worse." He grumbles while sitting up and realizing he's shirtless, now he was damn sure he hadn't taken that off… had he? Maybe the blood loss was getting to him, he thought until noticing the grey shirt hanging off the pink doll house at the end of Mari's rough-and-ready bed.

Not looking up from her book Mari breaks the yawning silence "I washed and sowed it. I got most of the blood out but I think it's still going to stain pretty bad."

"You undressed me while I slept?" he snarled at the girl, but she didn't seem to notice the lick of anger in his voice as she shrugs "I gave you extra blankets so you wouldn't be cold. You weren't were you?"

It takes Dyson a moment to realize she has no idea what she did wrong "no…no it was fine."

"Good, I think the water tank might still be hot if you want to wash up." She points over to a bushy green sheet that's been used as a divider to the derelict excuse for a bathroom, which was a toilet, a sink and a bucket of bathroom supply's, it was even worse than the his own dingy bathroom back home, at least he actually had a shower.

He washes quickly before emerging from the curtain and asked with a mild interest "What are you reading?"

"To Kill A Mocking Bird." Mari answered with a turn of the page, engrossed in the words swirling around before her.

Dyson watches her with a crooked brow, noticing how warn the book actually is and taking a seat on the neatly made bed he smiles only slightly before reciting one of his favorite quotes "it was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived."

Mari's crimson specked orbs snap up to him then, with all the curious hopefulness of a child "you've read it!"

In the short hours he'd spent time with Mari he's noticed how bizarrely innocent she seemed, not just the toys and clothes but also the way she spoke and the faces she made, the things she didn't seem to understand. Her scent baffled Dyson; it was unlike anything his wolf had ever known, like someone made a cocktail of cotton candy and battery acid.

Suddenly as the silver lined steel door opened Dyson was tripped from his train of thought and stood; ready to defend himself when two angry shifters walk in with shot guns and Caiden's voice floods in behind them "silver bullets, so play nice big boy."

The two alpha's glare with stony faced hate before a smile is slapped onto Caiden's face as his gaze catches Mari "there's my girl. I hope this 'intrusion' didn't mess with your beauty sleep too much."

"Caiden don't be mean." She pouts playfully as the dark haired shifter throws his scarred and mangled arm over her shoulder. However Mari's sudden shyness didn't go unnoticed by the wounded detective, the moment Caiden stepped into the room she'd quickly discarded her treasured book and stood at attention and as his tanned skin met her porcelain flesh Mari seemed to sink into him, almost fearful, away from everyone else in the small room.

"No promises honey." He smiles as two more people walk into the room, one holding a tray with two bowls as the other hands a glass of water to her leader.

Reaching into his pocket Dyson watches as Caiden pulls out a small bottle of pills and sees Mari's cradle into herself and her blue orbs fall to the floor "Mari…"

At Caiden's stern voice she opened her mouth and swallows the pills with ease thanks to the water the dark haired shifter is funneling down her throat "Good girl. Come on, out, things to do." He smiles and leans in to kiss her chocolate curls.

However the brawly Elvis wannabe who had one of the guns decided it was a good idea to pistol whip a groggy Dyson and before he even knew what was happening Dyson's attacker was slammed across into the reinforced concrete wall with a few sheets ripped down around him, a pair of red cotton socks blocking his view as he regains himself, Mari growls with bared fangs before she throws a look over her shoulder, sniffing the air lightly as crimson eyes and razor-sharp fangs watch Dyson stand with an unyielding expression.

What he sees is fear and shock from every person around the small girl, as the Elvis wannabe also composes himself, stroking the redness shed inflicted upon his throat "What the hell Mari?"

But the brunette stands firm, not even Caiden who takes a step in front of his 'pet' with a bitter rage makes her submit as she had done the night before "careful Mari, Edgar was just having some fun."

Instead of nodding meekly like Dyson expected Mari took a step to him, head held high as her now coarse voice snarls "with my promise to Isaac this shifter is under my protection, if I have to kill to keep that promise so be it."

Dyson is more than a little confused about what was actually happening, but he's very aware that the woman before him is not the sweet girl, but the creature bound to and within her, much like his own wolf. The others in the room backed away in blatant fear whilst Caiden simply shook his head, fingering a tress of her chocolate curls "still so loyal, even after all these years… to some pathetic boy!"

The squishing of breaking flesh is deafening as Mari's blacken claws sink into the vast scar of Caiden's neck, bringing him to his knees as she scorns through clenched fangs "say another word against him and I'll finish what I once started."

Every pair of eyes in the room widened tenfold, unsure of themselves because this was obviously a rare and unusual incident, disobedience and retaliation. Caiden however chucked, bitter and hard as he struggled to stand with her nails still buried deep through the scar tissue, blood pooling down his shirt and painting Mari's fingers as he smiled despite all the obvious pain "Marisol, my poor little monster, you can't kill me, if you could you would have done so centuries ago. Besides..."

Dyson watches as her mouth dries and eyes flicker over Caiden's face, flashing between blood red and ocean blue. Caiden's expression softens and he lets off a small whimper "you do still love me don't you?"

Dyson scoffs with disgust, resisting the urge to say someone due to his weakened state plus guns are still pointed at him through all this. Every flicker of anger in her dies at Caiden's words, blue swirls back in place as her claws retract, a sob comes through the horror on her face as she begins to shudder "that's not fair..."

The bastard smirks while pulling the quivering girl into his arms, before holding her chin in place roughly as his eyes scan over her soft face "oh Mari, what am I going to do with you."

With that Caiden backs away and leaves as the others back out of the room slowly but then Caiden says over his shoulder "eat up; you need your strength for tonight."

The moment the door closed Mari let out a breath it seemed she was holding forever, she knew she was in trouble. As she wipes away a stray tear Dyson can't seem to stand it, a crying girl is every man's weakness, and he places his large hand on the small of her back "are you alright?"

"Peachy keen, Puppy." She smiles with a small sniffle, grateful that she doesn't wear makeup as Dyson offers her a forced smile, watching as she slides across the room, picking up the stew and slips quickly back into her cheery self "hungry?"

They sat through their meal with light chitchat, Dyson wondering as he eats why his wolf had felt the impulse to rip that smug bastard Caiden's head off the moment he touched Mari, he put it down to her being a vulnerable obviously broken young girl, well younger than him anyway, and he was a cop, one of the good guys… that's all.

After dinner Mari and her fluffy red socks had sat Dyson down on the toilet so she could clean and change his dressing; she hadn't wanted to get any blood on her bed. Dyson, wizening in pain at the pull of the bandage sighs "there not healing as fast as they should be."

"That's my fault, sorry." Mari looks him in the eye with genuine regret as she soaks a cloth "Wendigo's release a sort of venom with our bite during battle, it just slows you down for a while, senses, reflexes, healing, it can't kill a human never mind a Fae, but it gives us the upper hand. You'll be fighting fit in let's say… two days, tops."

With a bitter chuckle Dyson nods "well that explains how Edgar knocked me down so easily."

"Well obviously, Edgar's not what quick; in fact he's kind of ham-fisted for a wolf shifter." Mari smiles, bright eyed as he watches her.

She's like no one he's ever met and he's not even completely sure she's real, if she even knows, hell maybe she's a schizophrenic or something… but he'd never know unless he started asking the right questions "so who's Isaac? He is the reason I'm alive after all isn't he."

Mari pauses, more like freezes at the question but falling back on her heels with a small smile and playing with the hem of her skirt nods with a heavy sigh "yeah he is and I suppose you have a right to know."

With a bite of her rosy lower lip and swallowing the lump in her throat Mari spoke softly "Isaac was a street kid, Caiden brought him in August 8th 1904, I remember because he was in the cage with me, almost killed me… he could have killed me, but he didn't. He looked down at me with those big blue eyes and he spared me. I don't know why, but after that he was part of the pack, Caiden was so impressed with him he put Isaac in charge of taking care of me… sometimes he'd even let me go outside, I remember once it was snowing, I'm not sure where we were, Europe maybe. We got close, really close."

Dyson watches her for a moment, blue eyes glazed over and she seemed to find a mournful peace with each word, words he's guessing she's never shared "you loved him."

Looking him dead in the eye for the first time since he's asked his question Mari answered with a frown, like he just asked her something ridiculously stupid and like it was the most obvious thing in the world "He was _Isaac_, how could I not?...not like that I mean but, yeah, of course I loved him, I'll always love him. He was best friend… I miss him."

"Mari, what happened to Isaac?" she'd finished with his bandages but they had yet to move, stiffened by the conversation.

Mari's gaze faltered then, looking back to her small doll like hands her sweet voice broke like a child retelling a nightmare "he was going to take me away, we could have been happy but Caiden… Caiden… he made me watch. I still hear Isaac sometimes; when it's dark, telling me to close my eyes, begging Caiden not to do that to me, but he never begged for himself, just for me. Not even once. Isaac was better than that."

Mari looked out to nothing, remembering her fallen friend and Dyson wondered how she could recite every detail of that but not remember her actual age. However there was something more still bothering him, why the hell was he still alive "You said you made a promise to Isaac?"

With the bowel of bloody clothes Mari moved to the sink, her back to the shifter as she barely whispers "we made a blood oath, to protect each other and our own."

Dyson felts his heart sink into his chest at all of that; he knew well the grief of loss. Then like a flash she's back, standing in front of him and fingering the pendent around his neck "but I won't let them hurt you Dyson; no matter what! I won't fail Isaac again, the O'Breen line lives on."

The determination in her voice makes him swallow hard, because now he understands that the thing that had saved his life was a complete misunderstanding, a lie… the pendent he wore in remembrance of his lost pack brother.

_Stefan's_ family crest.

Dyson observed her skip away as a knock comes through the door, a signal to get ready for the night's 'entertainment'. They sit in a comfortable silence until not even the heavy duty door can stop the music from the club and cheering of the arena from flooding in, Dyson stood, ignoring the twinge of pain from his shredded calf and side as he asks "Mari… you didn't have to tell me."

He thought the girl was a bit soft in the head to be honest, but after digesting everything Dyson asked himself why she hadn't just told him to keep his snout out and be grateful, that's what he would have done.

Those red specked orbs smiled over at him so bright it was blinding as she cupped his gruff stubble lined jaw with one hand and brushed his blonde curls back with the other "oh silly Puppy, I wanted to… besides before long it won't matter, Caiden will whisk me away somewhere new and you'll be free. You'll forget about me and all this and go back to living your life."

She said all this with such a happy and accepting manner it actually shocked Dyson a little "is that really what you believe?"

Shrugging as the door opens Mari sighed "that's just the way it is…"

Dyson watched her shift as the door opened, again people where pointing guns at him but Mari didn't seem to notice them and skipped out, head held high and ready to retrieve the punishment she was sure Caiden had ensured for her earlier naughtiness, but with one last look over her half healed shoulder Mari smiles to Dyson with a serious tone "don't mess with any of my book marks ok?"

Then she was gone, for the first time in twenty-four hours Dyson was actually truly alone and he felts a sense of guilt, he just had to get out of that place… after all he was a warrior and surviving was all he had.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey Guys here's another chapter for you, a shout-out to my first reviewer Superdani4Ever. **

**I hope your all enjoying the story and the little art piece i made for it, let me know.**

**BTW I've but a sneak peak in the new chapter one, by request of a friend.**

**JJ X x **

Five hours. That's how long Dyson had been left alone to ponder his thoughts and listen to the crowds screaming and the splashing of blood on the cold, concrete, gore stained ground. However it was poor Mari had been the actually one in the cage, fighting, killing for the amusement of the paying swarm. When Caiden's men finally returned the girl to her room she was carried in and laid on the bed, bloody, broken and barely breathing, her snowy complexion coated in a thick layer of blood from not one but many, including her own and it made Dyson's eyes widen in horror and appall at the sight before him while the heavy door slammed shut, locking them in silence.

Dyson speeds to her, taking a knee to her barely moving form strewn across the quilts and frowned "Mari? Mari can you hear me?"

"Papa, ça fait mal ... Papa (_Daddy, it hurts... Daddy_)" her groans of pain were mere whispers and Dyson's French wasn't perfect and hers was older than he knew, but he seemed to get the gist of it.

Slowly his large hand cups her porcelain, crimson stained cheek, trying in vain to bring her focus to him and jog her from the obvious delusion "Mari, it's Dyson… do you remember where you are?"

A small smile comes to her lips and for a second he wondered if she had snapped back from her dream, however as Mari's doll like hand reached for his tired face, fingers grazing his lightly spiked stubble her blue eyes look up at him, her gaze filled with adoration and solace and he knows it isn't him the wounded girl sees as the red sparks of her orbs fade to almost nothing "Oh, ne sois pas triste Papa, je serai ok, tant que vous êtes là je serai ok, vous allez me garder en sécurité, comme toujours (_Oh don't be sad Daddy, I'll be ok, as long as your here I'll be ok, you'll keep me safe, like always._)"

He watched her in her weakened state, like some sort of broken angel, she'd clearly taken quite a beating, Caiden had not been kind that night but he knew she'd survive, that's a trait Wolf-Shifters and Wendigo's share, there was also the fact that Caiden would never allow his 'pet' to simply die on him. Nonetheless there was a lump still lodged deep in his throat and he swallowed hard over it as bad French slips off his tongue "Je suis ici. (_I'm here_.)"

"Tenez-moi, Papa (_Hold me, Daddy_)" Dyson stands, slightly ridged and uncomfortable about this but he climbs in behind her, Mari mewing happily as her frail broken little body circles into Dyson's warmth and he lets her, lets her have that moment, no matter how false it was because it seemed far to cruel to disabuse her and Dyson just didn't have that in him… he doubted many did.

Dyson doesn't really remember falling asleep, but the next time he opens his eyes he's got a ball of chocolate fur cuddled into him, sleeping soundly and tangled into the tattered rags of her outfit's remains. He smiled with a twitch of his lip, knowing it was better for the little wendigo to heal in this more resilient form and wondering when she actually changed because she was dead to the world long before he even thought to close his tired eyes, maybe it was subconscious. He moved stealthily, carefully dislodging his arm from her nuzzling snout.

As Mari slept soundly Dyson washed up, stealing glances back over to the beast as she snored lightly, deeply and it made him wonder how she came to be there in the dingy little room with only the dim glow of the fairy lights to brighten her unyielding smile… it was then she began to stir and Dyson realized he was staring.

Her crimson orbs flicker open and Mari stretches her cyanine claws, revealing a long wound on her side that the night before had been angry and weeping, but was almost nothing but a thin crusted line of blood.

Before his eyes the dark bloodstained fur melted away into cracked porcelain, covered by the thick woolen blanket and smiles with a spin of her finger in the air "morning, do you mind?"

With Dyson's back to her Mari quickly scurries over to quickly wash away the leftover gore and clothe herself "Alrighty."

It's then that he turns to find her in a peachy cream floral button dress; it's old, torn and clings just a tad too tight, but it was better than that stained rags they'd left her in the night before. She smelled better to, the many dead washed away and replaced with a faint hint of orange blossom soap.

With a single stepped stride Dyson is before Mari, his dark blue eyes scanned over the small girl and brushes back a rouge curl to see a large bruise on her neck where claw marks had been the night before. Her frail fingers grip his gruff hand with a small feather light giggle "I'm fine Puppy, pinky promise…"

Dyson isn't amused because his face is still hard as stone and brow creased in angered frustration, how could anyone do this to her? "You're far from fine Mari."

"Caiden's just cranky about yesterday is all; he doesn't like it when I'm bad." she shrugged like it was nothing, a slap on the wrist and for some reason it just made Dyson angrier.

"How could you be so flippant? You battled at least six Fae last night; they had to carry you into your own bed and not to mention the immense blood loss. Mari, this is no way to live." He wasn't concerned, he didn't care, but he knew he was right; she was just a girl for god's sake.

Dyson wondered if any of it actually sunk in because Mari just smiled up at him, all sweetness and mildly dazed, that is until she shook her long chocolate locks and leaned up on her tip-toes to shock Dyson still with something extremely unexpected… her small arms locking around his waist as she nuzzled into his lean, toned chest, it was comforting to her, he smelled like the forest after a rain storm. Dyson took a long moment, stood unsure of what was happening; it had been so long since someone had touched him so intimately, that simple gesture that outranked every affair he'd had for centuries, so swallowing hard with a deep breath Dyson raised one, just one arm around her shoulders, securing and pulling the small creature to him ever so slightly.

It's hard to tell how long they stood there amongst the worn books and vibrant sheet strewn walls; silently holding each other but when they fell apart Dyson watched the wendigo brush past him, grabbing her wrist with a grip that could break a human, so I suppose she was lucky not to be. His head bows, turning to meet her gaze on the back of his head as he ponders aloud "why did you do that?"

"To say thank you, it's been so long since anybody worried about me, including me sometimes… plus I wanted a hug and you're kind of cuddly." The last part is said with her signature Mari smile as she skips off to clear the bloodied sheets.

Dyson smashes down the knot folding in his chest with a sledgehammer and after a momentary spell Dyson walks calmly over to the stereo, pressing play and hearing Lesley Gore echo through the small room. At the blare of the music Mari giggled with a little dance, forcing a low grumble of laughter from Dyson who decides to aid in the clean-up.

Its hours later that the door opens, shifters armed and Caiden doesn't even bother with the playful death threats this time as he rushes over to Mari, sat on her beanbag as she and Dyson piece together a jigsaw with what he can only assume to be ducks because there were far too many yellow pieces. Caiden kneels, grabbing her face softly and looking her over before that crooked slimy smirk slithers back into place "well look at my little monster, healing in record time. I was worried that the goblin did some actual damage but here you are…oh my girl."

"She's not your girl." Dyson growls from his place on the ground, watching the master and his pet.

Caiden's dark, cruel eyes lock swiftly with Dyson, still on bended knee as he mocks "oh is someone getting attached? I didn't peg you for the sentimental type old man; if only you knew."

Mari's crimson sparked sapphire orbs widen and water "Caiden please don't…"

But the leaders gaze never falters from his prisoner; the two warriors sat in a silent battle until the scarred man bites "what she didn't tell you? Sweet little Mari who slaughtered whole villages, who spent the best part of a two decades killing everything that crossed her path because she was bored. Who…"

"Caiden!" her hand latches onto his arm with a trembling growl, the death grip making him steel a glance to her, she looks so broken and timid as a tear fall down her pale cheek.

Dyson watched as Caiden's face softened seeming almost ashamed with himself, because having her brutally beaten was fine but making her cry was overstepping right?

For a moment they shared a unvoiced secret, staring as though there hearts were laid as offering to some great god, this is until the pale beauty breaks away, falling into the chasm of herself.

The room is silent but for Mari's light wimping sob, Caiden's fingers grazing over her chestnut curls feebly as though she my break. While I think we all know she was broken long ago…so long ago.

The silence was thunderous and lasted far too long. Mari didn't look at anyone, opting to stare intently at a piece of jigsaw that had found its way into her hand, staring as if it held the answer to all, even as Caiden fed her a singular pill with a sweaty palm and stood to leave with one look over his shoulder, unsure and longing.

As the slam of the door rumbled through the dainty room Mari stood, only to gather the tray of food that they'd been left with "looks like chicken today, do you want the seeded bun or the thick crust."

Mari's back was to him, talking about stew and bread while trying to hide her pain. His hand reaches out to her as she rambles on only for her to viciously flinch back and turn with a scream on her lips "Don't touch me! Don't comfort me! Don't look at me like I'm some fallen angel because I'm not Dyson, I'm a murder...I'm a monster."

It's the most grown up she's appeared since he was thrown in that cage and he doesn't like it, his wolf scratching at his insides to do something, anything to make this version of dissipate and bring back that annoyingly bright gleam to her eyes "You're not a monster, Mari."

"How can you say that? You heard Caiden… the things I've done, you have no idea. I ripped those people apart, Human and Fae alike because I could, because it was easy, my body count started far before Caiden saved me." Those big blue eyes looked up at him and Dyson saw so much self-loathing and it sickened him.

A pair of large hands clasped her shoulders and Mari searched the shifter for the disgust she was sure awaited her, though there was none to find. He wore only an expression she couldn't quite grasp, understanding "Mari we've all killed, we've all done monstrous things but that doesn't make us monsters. As for Caiden saving you… holding someone captive and forcing them to kill for profit is not saving someone, neither is beating them into submission."

"Caiden loves me." Dyson wasn't sure if she was saying it to him or reassuring herself, but her eyes close and she mutters the sentence persistently.

Bringing his face down close to hers Dyson shakes his head and almost pleads "Mari, look at me."

The moment her watery gems open to find him mere inches from her Dyson said kindheartedly "love shouldn't be forced, someone who loves you would never hide you away, would never stand idle while your obviously in pain, would never purposely put you in harm's way and they sure as hell don't force you to watch as they execute someone who actually does love you, like Isaac loved you. Mari look what he's done to you, this isn't love, its ownership."

Mari falls into his arms, broken and defeated as more tears escape from her broken gaze "But he's all I have…"

It's that knot twisting at him again that made him say the next part, it was survivors guilt "you've got me and more importantly you've got you."

She seems to let it out then seeming in utter confusion as she tilts her head "you really don't think I'm a monster do you?"

"You're only as much of a monster as they make you believe you are." Those are words he believes, and as she crumbles close to him, he realizes she doesn't believe, she's just so relieved someone else actually does.

So like earlier he holds her, steady and close as she stains his already tarnished shirt with a waterfall of tears. It's not because he cares, but because it's right, it's the right thing to do, to save her from the nightmare that had consumed her life… it was only right.

After what seems like hours Mari's sobs soften and she smiled weakly up the blonde, who with a coarse thumb wipes away her tears, however their moment is stolen by watchful eyes glaring into the surveillance screen, a glass shattering as pure hatred bubbles to the surface. Caiden had worked to long and too hard to lose her to some light cop shifter… he wouldn't lose her, she needed him, he knew that…she was his.

His.

His.

His little sister.


End file.
